Fixing the System

By now it should be clear to even the most apologetic defender of government schools that this grand, noble experiment has failed. Sadly that is not in fact the case, as many folk still seem to think the system can be fixed and by that they do not mean "rigged"--as it is now in favor of educators and their paychecks. So let's boldly go down that rabbit hole and look into the minds of those Hatters.

Totally suspending our beliefs and ignoring the facts so poignantly laid before us, let us spread a little vaseline on our ruby red glasses, dim the torches and assume that this system is reparable and we are indeed the ones to fix it. There are many places this hallucination can take us, but the one location not on this trip's itinerary is "the scenic spot where it looks good to keep any of the losers that brought you this train wreck". It just does not show up in the guide book. Not on any map either.

And for good reason.

Almost all teachers in America today are products of the same failed system that is failing us now. They are every bit as ignorant as the students they provide with a kind smile and a social promotion. And don't think for a minute they learned anything in college. Anecdotal point: education major at one of Georgia's finest universities came to calculus class absent the knowledge of "diameter". As in a circle. Longest chord thereof? The other areas of grade school curricula in which "Education" Majors are sorely lacking would appall the average person over 50. But that is only because the average person over 50 still seems to think that today's teachers know something. These people, and those in the pipeline, have not the knowledge, the thinking skills nor the work ethic to be successful teachers in a successful school. We won't even discuss how easily they become cheaters when presented with a challenging situation.

The administrators are no better, largely because most of them were at some point in their career teachers themselves. Equally ignorant then and now. They do come with more sophisticated sounding, some say "advanced", made up degrees, often from non-accredited online diploma mills. Hell, even they don't respect education enough to get a real one. We won't even discuss how easily they become cheaters when presented with a challenging situation.

So to be very clear, "fixing" the system requires a wholesale replacement all personnel currently on payroll.

But even that is not enough. These incompetents are products of a failed "teacher factory"--schools of "education". These are filled with pompous airbags who spew forth "wisdoms" like "modalities of learning" and other such claptrap. They are not capable teachers and have proven to be incapable of producing capable teachers. They too must go.

Then there are political and structural failures.

Politicians, with one exception, are unwavering in their boosterism of their constituents' schools. We have to look no further than the political monkey business going on in public and behind closed doors as the APS cheating violations were unavoidably made public. The exception, school board candidates and other politicians on "education committees", will pose as "fixers" to our educational problems, but politics being what it is, the "fix" begins and ends with their election. Job done. No, job WELL done. Nothing will change until those pulling the levers exercise control beyond the minimum required to ensure re-election. Throw these bums out.

Also look at how public schools are funded, not just the heavy burden on property taxes, but who is actually paying these taxes. Turns out it is not the parents. Perhaps if parents had some real skin in the game, much more than their neighbor with no children in the system or the business in the village that bears an even higher burden, parents might be forced to reclaim their responsibility for their children. Then they might sit up and take notice that their kids are ignorant, that English lit projects involving magic markers and crayons have no place in high school, or that sports really are not necessary and certainly are not more important than any single bit of core knowledge. Maybe once they see how much they pay for how little, they will see that it could be better. Or perhaps once they realize that society will no longer pay the full cost of that permanent reminder of a temporary feelin' they might not bring so many of the li'l darlin's into this world. We'll buy them a tattoo instead.

Regardless of the subsidy, parents and taxpayers must break the never ending cycle of self-delusion. Don't believe this societal delusion exists? Really? Well pick the AJC once in a while why don't you? Therein you will find parents protesting the loss of their neighborhood school because "it's one of the best". How do these parents know this for a fact? Because a lying, cheating teacher or principal told them. Folks, there is a reason it is spelt "al" and not "le".  Or how about this. Though admitting to cheating, parents expect what they believe to be an otherwise fine teacher at their child's school to be exonerated, or at least returned with a no more than finger marks on their arm. What ARE they thinking? Perhaps these educators are smart, but only in comparison to some of the dumbest parents on the planet---walking proof that sex does not require education. Perhaps we cannot get rid of these folk, but maybe, just maybe we can help them with that sex and procreation problem that has created such an abundance of delusional parents. Isn't there a pill for that?

We as a society can no longer sit back and watch this dead cat of a system bounce down the road all the while dreaming that cat is someone else's and our cat is just fine--even a show winner. It's not. It's our beloved cheshire cat, it is dead and we need to get out there and clean up the carcass. Then, and only then, should we go get another cat. And get it from a reputable breeder and take care of it this time.